


Pretty Pays With Me

by orphan_account



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: M/M, Sugar Baby Minho, Sugar Daddy Jisung
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:14:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23877517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Pretty doesn't pay the bills, but it pays with Jisung, and Minho just so happens to be very,verypretty.
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 14
Kudos: 124





	1. Chapter 1

An iced ameriano with four shots, two packets of splenda, and light ice. It was always the same exact thing at the same exact time, but only on the days Minho was scheduled to work. Everyone at the cafe thought it was kind of weird, but he was well mannered and tipped better than any other customer, so it never bothered Minho as much as his coworkers said it should. If a handsome older man wanted to give him money for supplying his caffeine fix for the day, he was definitely not in a position to say no.

"He's late today," Minho says aloud to no one in particular. "He's normally here by ten on the dot. It's almost fifteen after."

"Hot mocha latte, ready at the counter." Hyunjin slides the cup across the counter and waves at the customer before turning to Minho. "What are you, worried? Can't go a day without your $15 tip for a $7 drink?"

"Oh, shut up," Minho scoffs. He throws a wet rag at Hyunjin makes his way over to the register as a group of college kids walk inside. "Hi, welcome to Heyri. No, I'm not worried. I just think it's weird is all. He's been coming everyday for the last almost two months and he's never been late before."

"And by everyday, you mean only on the days you're here."

Minho rolls his eyes and helps the guests at the register, doing his best to ignore the snide remarks Hyunjin kept making under his breath. It's not like he asked for this man to take any sort of interest in him. He just came in one day and decided not to leave. "He probably just likes how I make his coffee," he says after finishing up with the crowd. "I'd never met him before he started frequenting this place, so I don't know why he'd continue coming back for me specifically."

Hyunjin is so taken aback that he nearly drops the whipped cream canister. " _He likes the way you make his coffee?_ He orders a goddamn americano! It's literally just a few shots and some water. My ninety-year-old grandmother could do that."

"Well, I don't know what to tell you, Hyunjin. Being nasty to me because you're jealous of who tips me what isn't going to do anything but piss us both off." Minho places his last drink into a cup holder and motions for the customer to come forward. "This one is caramel and this one is honey butterscotch. Can I get you anything else?"

"Yeah, your phone number, maybe?"

"Ha, sorry about that," Minho laughs. "That's definitely not on the menu."

"Are you serious right now?" Hyunjin stops what he's doing and stares at Minho, completely deadpan. "What are you doing that the rest of us aren't? I want good tips and cute boys' phone numbers, what the fuck?"

"You'd get both if you relied on more than just your good looks for tips," a voice says from behind the counter. "A little charisma would go a long way."

Minho knew who the voice belonged to without even having to look. "Hey, you made it! I was starting to get worried."

"I thought you said you weren't worried?" Hyunjin says, clearly wounded from having been insulted by a stranger. "You need to ma--"

"Don't you need to take your thirty?" Minho interrupts. "You got here at six, so it's been over four hours. You need to go before eleven."

Hyunjin rolls his eyes but doesn't say anything. He takes his apron off and tosses it at Minho before angrily heading to the back.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Minho shouts, waving the apron in the air. "Put it in your locker, you heathen!"

"You put it in my locker! I'm on my lunch!"

Minho shakes his head with disappointment and stuffs the apron into an empty crevice underneath the counter. "Sorry about him. He's been in a bad mood since he started working the morning shift. He's not usually so unpleasant to be around."

"I hope he knows that his attitude doesn't stop at the counter. Just because we're on separate sides, that doesn't mean we don't see it. I'm sure he'd get tips if his personality were anywhere near as nice as his appearance."

"Yeah, well, what can you do." Minho looks over his shoulder and sees Hyunjin spying on him from the small window in the door leading to the back, and tries to wave him off with a shooing motion. "The usual, I'm assuming? As always."

"Yeah, but throw in something for yourself as well. Whatever you want, my treat. The bags under your eyes are going to pack themselves a trip to China if they get any darker."

Minho nods, not thinking much of the 'my treat' part. Free coffee was free coffee, regardless of who it was coming from. "Getting here at nine after getting home from my other job at nearly two in the morning is doing wonders for my sleep schedule. I fell asleep in calculus yesterday and missed half the lesson."

"You're working two jobs _and_ going to school? My god."

"Tell me about it. Your total comes out to $13.86. Cash or card?"

"Cash." The man pulls his wallet out from his back pocket and hands Minho a hundred dollar bill. "Keep the change, yeah?"

" _What?_ " Minho puts his hands up as if he were surrendering to something, and shakes his head with wide eyes. "I can't do that, Mr...um--"

"Han, but call me Jisung."

"Jisung. Mr. Han. Whatever you wanna be called. That's nearly a _ninety dollar_ tip. I can't accept that."

"Of course you can. Had I known that you've been holding down two jobs on top of being a student, I would've been tipping you more over the last couple of weeks. It's the least I can do."

"For _what?_ " Minho exclaims. "Almost a dozen other people work here, yet you only come in on the days _I_ work. Why is that? I'm not trying to complain or anything because I really do appreciate the tips--trust me when I say they add up at the end of the week--but why me? I don't know you. Hell, I didn't even know your name until forty seconds ago."

Jisung remains quiet for a moment, silently trying to figure out how to go about this. He hadn't expected Minho to actually question why he was doing what he was doing. "The day I found this place, I was in line and I overheard you talking with one of your coworkers about your car needing new pistons and break pads, but not being able to afford either. I thought that was quite unfortunate and silently wished you the best. I didn't think much of it until two weeks later, when I overheard you talking about it _again_. That was the day I began tipping you in large amounts, making it a point to come in daily so I could do so."

Minho was speechless. The money he collected in tips actually _had_ paid to fix his car, and the fact that it was all premeditated practically blew his mind. "I don't know what I'm even supposed to say to that. I mean, thank you, obviously, but why would you--"

"Take the time out of my day to do that?"

"Not just your time, but your money. We don't even know eac--hi, welcome to Heyri!" Minho sighs as he looks from Jisung to the sudden line beginning to form behind him. "I was going to go home and sleep for a while because I don't have class today, but maybe we could meet somewhere when my shift ends. I'm out at three today."

"But why--"

"It's the least you could do, right?"

Jisung purses his lips, pausing for only a moment before giving a single nod. "There's a park around the corner, on Arrow and Dunas. I'll see you there."

"Perfect. Your order number 3748."

Jisung holds his hand out and curls his fingers inward, palm up. "My change?"

Minho smirks, shaking his head as he pockets the money in his apron. "You said I could keep it, remember?"

"By all means. See you at three."


	2. Chapter 2

"I think the fuck not."

"What are you, my mother?"

"Yes!" Felix shouts into the phone. "I am absolutely your mother. There is no way in hell you're going to meet some random man in the park by yourself."

"Says you," Minho replies, slightly regretting the fact that he didn't send his roommate straight to voicemail. "I'm already on my way. I got out ten minutes early so I could be there by three."

"What do you even need to talk to him for anyway?" A light shuffling noise could be heard from the other end of the line, and Minho could imagine Felix laying restless in bed as he tried to think of a way to stop him. "So what, he gave you money to fix your car. Big deal. At least the check engine light is off now."

"That's exactly why I need to talk to him, Lix. He gave me money to fix my car. _Me_ , a twenty one-year-old he met in a coffee shop who didn't even know his name until today. Why the _fuck_ would he do that? And more importantly, how far is he willing to go when it comes to giving money to strangers?"

" _What?_ " Felix begins to choke on whatever it was he was taking a drink of, and coughs for a solid thirty seconds before being able to speak again. "Minho, what the _hell_?! Are you planning to use this guy as your sugar daddy?!"

"Why not?" Minho shrugs. "He's already given me well over four hundred dollars at this point. $15 a day, four days a week for nearly two months straight? Not to mention the almost $90 he gave me today."

" _He gave you $90 today?!_ Minho, no! You can't do that!"

"Oh, but it was perfectly fine when it was money for my car?"

"Yes! That's dif--"

"I'll talk to you later, Felix. I just got to the park and I've got two minutes to figure out where I'm supposed to meet this guy."

"Wait, Mi--"

 _Click_.

Part of him knew that Felix could potentially be right. This could be a trap for all he knew, and meeting up with Jisung could prove disastrous if things went badly...but at the same time, it was Minho that asked if they could meet up, not Jisung. It's not like the older man had tried to get him alone or anything, and he hesitated before saying yes, so he obviously thought about it, even if only for a second. Felix was just overreacting like he always did, though Minho did appreciate the overall concern.

"Hey, over here."

Minho stops walking and looks over his shoulder, suddenly feeling a little nervous at the sight of Jisung. He was wearing the same outfit as earlier in the day; black pants with a formfitting white button up, only this time it was accompanied by an oversized black denim jacket. Minho knew he was older, but his dyed hair and trendy fashion sense made it hard for him to pinpoint how much. "Hey yourself," he says as he makes his way over to the concrete table. "Been here a while?"

Jisung shakes his head. "Nah. Maybe five minutes, if even that long. You got here fast."

"I left ten minutes early."

"You that eager to see me?"

"More or less," Minho says dryly. "Although, I could be asking you that same question. I'm not the one frequenting your place of business on the daily."

"Yes, but you _are_ the one that asked if I would meet with you when your shift ended."

"Touché."

"Why _did_ you ask me to meet you here?"

"Don't play coy with me. You know _exactly_ why I asked you to meet me here."

Jisung crosses his arms over his chest with a smirk. "Yeah, but I wanna hear you say it." He leans back a little so that his back is resting on the tree behind him, and gives Minho a _look_ to ensure that he doesn't break eye contact. "You wanna know why I decided to help you, and you're curious as to how far I'm willing to stretch my generosity."

Minho shivers, Jisung's words echoing his earlier conversation with Felix. "Exactly. Why me, and what do I have to do to keep it coming?"

"Why do you wanna know so badly?"

"So I don't end up in an exhaustion induced coma." Minho sighs and takes a seat on the bench across the table from Jisung. "I work two jobs and go to school full time. I don't even remember the last time I slept more than four or five hours in one go. I wake up, go to the cafe, go to school for a few hours, and spend my night at the club where I bartend and deal with drunkies all night. I spend my days off doing homework and contemplating whether I should drop out or jump out a window because I'm only twenty one, but all of this stress has me feeling like I'm eighty."

"I'm not gonna lie. That is not the answer I was expecting to hear," Jisung admits after a moment. "Makes me a little more confident in my previous decision to help you."

"Which was because...?"

"Well, first and foremost, because you needed the help. The fact that two full weeks had passed and you were still upset about your car was...distressing. Even more so now that I know you work two jobs. Where does all of your money go?"

"Oh, let's see," Minho replies, holding up his fingers. "School, health insurance, school, car insurance, school, rent, food, bills, school, gas, cat food, vet bills. _School_."

"Do you pay for your own tuition?"

"Every goddamn year. My parents kicked me out when I told them I was majoring in. They wanted me to be a lawyer, so we compromised and I became a dancer."

"Let me guess," Jisung says, his words bitter with annoyance. "They enrolled you in dance classes as a kid, am I right? Taught you how to play a few instruments, maybe got you an art tutor. Made you learn all of these things because it would look good on your resume, but the second you--"

"Started to show a genuine interest in something that was supposed to be strictly extracurricular, the world might as well have ended? Yeah, that sounds about right." Minho's relationship with his parents was nonexistent, and he felt no shame in admitting so. After all, it didn't make much sense to introduce your children to so many wonderful things if you were just going to get angry when they eventually want to pursue one of them. "I see you can relate."

Jisung nods. "I haven't spoken to either one of my parents in almost twenty years."

"Which brings me to my next question..."

"Thirty seven."

"What?" It was obvious that Jisung was older than he was, but he didn't look _that_ much older. "There's no way. That makes you...sixteen years older than I am?"

"You seem surprised," Jisung grins.

"Because I am! You can't-- _wait_." Minho narrows his eyes. "We're getting off topic. You only answered half of my first question. What do you get out of doing all of this for me? Because there's no way you've been doing this solely out of the kindness of your heart."

"A little harsh, but you're not wrong," Jisung admits. "I _was_ partially doing it just to be kind, but since you've asked, there is something I could have you do for me...if you're interested, that is."

"Which is?"

"I need somebody to accompany me to different award shows and parties over the next few months. Believe it or not, I'm actually a music producer, and having somebody like you on my arm would not only be a privilege, but it would definitely get the press talking."

"Why is that?"

"Simple," Jisung replies. "Because you're stunning."

Minho doesn't say anything for a moment. He just sits there and ponders Jisung's words, trying to figure out where the loophole was. "Do you mean to tell me that you were giving me all of that money with the hopes that I would call you out on it so that we would end up in a situation like this?"

"Of course not. I was giving you that money so that you could fix your car and not have to stress or feel guilty about it. That was me genuinely being nice for no other reason beyond being a good samaritan." Jisung props his elbow up onto the table and rests his chin in his hand before continuing. "But since you did call me out, I'm asking for your body in exchange for money. You make me look good in the public eye and I'll make all of your financial struggles disappear."

"My...body...?

"Do you not own a mirror, Minho?" Jisung looks Minho up and down, making a sweeping gesture with his hands as if that would get his point across clearer. "You're absolutely breathtaking."

Minho can't help but roll his eyes. "Thanks for the compliment, but pretty doesn't pay the bills."

"Maybe not, but it certainly pays with me," Jisung smiles. "Do we have a deal?"

"That depends. How financially covered am I?"

"One hundred percent. You won't need to worry about anything but school."

"For how long?"

"We'll discuss that later. For now, all I need is your consent."

"Yeah," Minho says without hesitation. "I'm down. I wanna do it. I'm done almost killing myself just to get through college."

"After today, you won't have to. Put in your two weeks and give the rest of the burden to me.”


	3. Chapter 3

Minho hated being a bartender. The pay was shit, the hours were weird, and the patrons were more annoying than they were interesting. Half of the time he felt more like a security guard with the amount of times he had been forced to escort people off the premises. Drunk people didn't like being told they were being cut off for the night, nor did they like the fact that Minho was almost always stronger than they were. He couldn't wait for the next two weeks to be done and over with.

"Hiya handsome. Fancy meeting you here."

"Evening Eunjung. How are you on this fine night?" Minho gives the older woman a sweeping bow, earning himself a swat on the shoulder. Eunjung was in her early sixties and frequented the bar often. She was Minho's favorite regular, and probably the only thing he would miss about the place when he left. "The usual?"

Eunjung shakes her head as she sits down, giving Minho the same smile winning she always did. "I'm feeling adventurous tonight. Surprise me."

"Yes ma'am. Anything for my favorite lady."

"Oh, stop it, you. You seem happier than usual tonight. Got a little pep in your step for once."

"Vodka or rum?" Minho holds a bottle in each hand and nods when Eunjung points to the rum. "Do I normally look depressed or something?"

"No," Eunjung replies thoughtfully. "Not depressed. Just unhappy. What happened today?"

"What makes you think something happened?"

"Are you doubting my women's intuition?"

"Of course not. Your 'women's intuition' told me to go out and get a cat, and so far it's been the best decision of my life."

"So what happened then?"

"Strawberry mai tai." Minho slides a glass shaped like a tiki across the counter and wipes his hands on his apron. "You know the guy from my other job that I've been telling you about?"

"The rich one?" Eunjung takes a sip of her drink, careful not to smear her lipstick in the process. "If you weren't so much younger than I am, I'd wrap you up and take you home with me. This is delicious, my god."

"Only the best for the best," Minho smiles. "But yeah, the rich one. I found out that he was tipping me like that on purpose. He heard me complaining about my car and wanted to help, you know, discreetly."

"Well, that was awfully nice of him. Did he say why?"

"He said he was just being a good samaritan and did it out of genuine kindness."

"You don't really believe that, do you?"

"I may be young, but I'm not stupid." Minho pulls a bar stool up to the counter and sits down before leaning in closer to Eunjung. "I asked him to meet with me after work because I was curious, you know? Why did he help me? What does he want with me? Why did he feel the need to make my financial situation any of his business when we don't even know each other?"

"And?" Eunjung prompts. "What did he say?"

"He said a lot of things, but long story short, I'm pretty sure he's my sugar daddy now. I asked him how far he'd be willing to go when it comes to helping with my finances, and he said all the way, but on one condition."

"Which was?"

"He told me he's a music producer and that he wants me to accompany him to parties and award shows. Basically, he thinks I'm hot and that I would bring him good publicity."

"Well, he's definitely not wrong." Eunjung swirls her straw around a little before drinking what was left in her glass, and pushes it across the counter to Minho. "But how do you know he's telling the truth? You said yourself that you don't even know him."

"I googled him, don't worry." Minho takes Eunjung's glass and sets it into the sink beside him. "His story checks out."

"So what happens now?"

"I get the fuck out of here. I put in my two weeks before my shift started."

"That was fast. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"No," Minho admits. "But it's better than killing myself with caffeine and sleep deprivation. We texted a little after I left and we're gonna meet up tomorrow to discuss his 'conditions' or whatever. Do you think I'm being dumb?"

"I don't think you're being dumb." Eunjung places her hand on top of Minho's and squeezes his fingers in an effort to try and comfort him. "But I do think that you need to get to know each other better for this all to work out the way you want it to. I know plenty of men in your situation, though the ones I'm friends with are on the 'daddy' end of the deal. Every 'financial relationship' is different, so that talk about conditions and whatnot is really going to help."

"Part of me feels like I jumped into it too quickly. Like you said, I don't even know him, and yet here we are."

"Honey, that's how most of these types of relationships start. A large percentage of these people don't know anything about each other beforehand. He has something you want and you have something he wants, and it's up to the two of you to decide if you want to keep it clean cut and strictly business or if you want it to develop into something more substantial."

"I'm gonna miss you like crazy, you know that?" Minho smiles. "Who else is gonna have these types of heart-to-hearts with me after I leave?"

"I'll only be a phone call away," Eunjung replies. "Enough chit chat, though. You're leaving in two weeks, which means we only have ten more nights together. I think this calls for some shots."

"I think you're right." Minho stands up and kicks the bar stool to the side, placing two shot glasses onto the counter with one hand and grabbing a bottle of gray goose with the other. "I'm getting the fuck out of here. I'm gonna be able to sleep and do my homework without having to choose between the two, and I get to accompany a totally hot music producer to fucking _award shows_. Maybe I am being stupid and maybe we did move on with things too fast, but you know what? I don't care. You're only twenty one once and I'm just trying to live my best life."

"Shall we toast?"

"Fuck yeah we're gonna toast." Minho holds his shot glass up in the air and clinks it against Eunjung's. "To being hot, young, and financially free. Whatever else you want tonight is on me."

"Oooh, well in that case," Eunjung laughs. "How 'bout a couple more shots?"

"Anything for you, my queen. Your new favorite sugar baby's got you covered."


	4. Chapter 4

"And just _where_ do you think you've been?"

"Um, working?" Minho locks the front door and slips his shoes off before switching to a pair of house slippers. "It's three in the morning, Lix. Why are you still up?"

"Because it's three in the morning!" Felix practically shouts. He gets up from his spot on the couch and makes his way over to where Minho is standing. "You get off at one thirty. Where were you?"

"I wasn't with _him_. Relax." Minho pushes his way past Felix, too tired to deal with his overprotective mom bit again. "I gave Eunjung a ride home and we ended up just sitting in her driveway for a while. You gonna yell at me for escorting a sixty four-year-old woman home after a night of partying?"

"No," Felix says in a small voice. He hadn't meant to come off so strong, but it was hard not to when he was so worried. "I just don't want anything to happen to you. You're my best friend."

Minho sighs. "I know. I'm sorry." He walks back down the hall and holds a fist out to Felix, offering a fist bump as a means of apologizing. "I know you don't think what I'm doing is a good idea, but it's my choice, Felix. Not all of us are fortunate enough to have parents as amazing as yours. I need to finish college and I'm not gonna be able to do that if I end up giving myself a heart attack by the time I'm twenty two."

"There are other ways to get by, you know. Lots of people work two jobs and still manage to get a degree."

"This isn't up for debate," Minho says, his voice tinged with acidity. "I'm not 'lots of people', Lix, and I'm going to do this whether you choose to support me or not."

Felix stands in a stunned silence, the sting of Minho's words practically slapping him in the face. He wasn't trying to be unsupportive, but could now see how it was coming across that way. "I'm sorry. I do support you, Minho. I'm just worried is all. You don't know what his intentions are or if he's even telling you the truth. For all you know, you could be walking away from this with no money and no jobs. What then?"

"If that happens, then I have no choice but to cross that bridge when I get there. Until then, we've just gotta see how this plays out."

"...I'm gonna go to bed."

"Yeah. See you tomorrow."

Felix doesn't say anything as he walks down the hall and into his bedroom. Minho knew that he didn't mean any harm, but he was going to have to learn to lay off at some point. He hadn't even discussed anything with Jisung and he was already acting like the world was ending. Minho sighs and grabs a water bottle from the fridge before making his way into his bedroom and plopping down into bed. Hyunjin was going to have a cow when he spoke to him the next morning and he wasn't sure if he was ready for that. Dealing with Felix was one thing, but Hyunjin was a whole other story when it came to being dramatic.

Minho digs through his pockets for his phone and contemplates whether texting Jisung would be a good idea or not. Would he be mad if he reached out so late at night? What time do people in their late thirties go to bed anyway? He opens up a new text message and decides to find out.

**Minho [3:11am]** my best friend thinks you're going to kidnap me or something

 **Jisung [3:13am]** If I were going to kidnap you, don't you think I would have done so already?

 **Minho [3:14am]** probably  
**Minho [3:14am]** i didn't think you'd be up still

 **Jisung [3:21am]** Time isn't real. T_T  
**Jisung [3:23am]** In all honesty, I've just got writer's block. I've been working on this song for like two weeks now and not being able to finish it is bothering me.

 **Minho [3:24am]** me trying to find the will to get my homework done

 **Jisung [3:25am]** Have you done your homework?

 **Minho [3:25am]** ...no  
**Minho [3:26am]** but i don't have class tomorrow so i can do it when i get out of work

 **Jisung [3:29am]** Which is when?

 **Minho [3:30am]** noon

 **Jisung [3:39am]** ???  
**Jisung [3:39am]** What time do you go in at?

 **Minho [3:40am]** ...definitely not 6am

 **Jisung [3:41am]** Why are you still awake?! It's almost four in the morning!

 **Minho [3:42am]** well i left my bartending job at 1:30 and ended up giving my favorite regular a ride home  
**Minho [3:43am]** didn't get home until just after 3 and now i can't sleep because my best friend is mad at me

 **Jisung [3:46am]** He thinks what you're doing is reckless.

 **Minho [3:46am]** yeah

 **Jisung [3:47am]** Do you agree with him?

 **Minho [3:48am]** kind of? but at the same time not really  
**Minho [3:48am]** he just doesn't want me to get hurt

 **Jisung [3:54am]** Which is completely understandable.  
**Jisung [3:57am]** But in case it wasn't clear before, I would never do anything without your consent. I'm not a prick.

 **Minho [4:01am]** i know  
**Minho [4:01am]** he's just gonna have to deal with it because i already put in my two weeks at one job  
**Minho [4:02am]** i'm doing it at the cafe tomorrow

 **Jisung [4:04am]** You mean two hours from now, when your shift starts. Are you even going to sleep?

 **Minho [4:06am]** honestly? probably not  
**Minho [4:07am]** but that's nothing new  
**Minho [4:07am]** i do this at least once a week

 **Jisung [4:10am]** You won't have to anymore once your two weeks is up.  
**Jisung [4:11am]** Give me your venmo name, yeah?

 **Minho [4:12am]** how do you know i have a vemno?

 **Jisung [4:15am]** Oh, come on. What young adult actually carries cash around?

 **Minho [4:18am]** touche  
**Minho [4:18am]** @meanhoe

 **Jisung [4:23am]** Check your account.

 **Minho [4:23am]** ??????????  
**Minho [4:24am]** WHAT IS THIS FOR

 **Jisung [4:25am]** So you can call out sick and get some sleep.

 **Minho [4:28am]** but this is $300??????  
**Minho [4:28am]** i literally make $11.75 an hour????

 **Jisung [4:37am]** Just say thank you and get some sleep.  
**Jisung [4:38am]** Text me when you're up so we can figure out where to meet later on. There are some things we need to discuss.

 **Minho [4:40am]** you're goddamn right there are some things we need to discuss  
**Minho [4:41am]** what am i supposed to give you in return for this?

 **Jisung [4:44am]** Nothing. I don't want anything but for you to get some rest.

 **Minho [4:45am]** well...thanks  
**Minho [4:45am]** i guess i'll text you whenever i get up

 **Jisung [4:46am]** After your homework is done. I've got all the time in the world, so do what you need to first. I'm in no rush.

 **Minho [4:47am]** i'm not crying you are  
**Minho [4:47am]** you should get some sleep too tho

 **Jisung [4:51am]** I'm the last thing you should be worried about.  
**Jisung [4:52am]** But with that being said, I will.  
**Jisung [4:52am]** Have a good night.

Minho locks his phone and sets it on his end table, not even bothering to plug it in. He just made $300 for...what? Being sleep deprived? His jobs would never. If anything, they'd pay him less if they could. Agreeing to do...whatever this was with Jisung was already turning into the best decision of his life, and it hadn't even been a full day yet. He sends a quick text to his boss, faking some excuse as to why he wouldn't be coming in, and falls fast asleep before he even turns out the light. Felix was tripping out over nothing, and Minho was determined to prove it to him one way or another.


	5. Chapter 5

**Minho [4:03pm]** i just finished my homework without wanting to pass out halfway through  
 **Minho [4:03pm]** that never happens

 **Jisung [4:20pm]** I see the extra bit of sleep helped! That's great.  
 **Jisung [4:21pm]** When'd you finally get out of bed?

 **Minho [4:22pm]** like 1:30  
 **Minho [4:23pm]** did you finish your song?

 **Jisung [4:26pm]** Kind of? I have to run it by some people first but it's getting there.  
 **Jisung [4:27pm]** What are you doing tonight?

 **Minho [4:27pm]** isn't that why you said to text you?  
 **Minho [4:28pm]** you tell me

 **Jisung [4:38pm]** I was hoping you'd say that because I've already made dinner reservations.

 **Minho [4:40pm]** sounds fancy

 **Jisung [4:41pm]** Not really. Just dress the way you normally would.  
 **Jisung [4:41pm]** Do you want the address or would you prefer that I pick you up?

 **Minho [4:42pm]** that depends **  
Minho [4:43pm]** would you think i'm selfish and materialistic if i told you that i reaaaaally want a ride in your bentley?

 **Jisung [4:45pm]** How did you know I have a Bentley?

 **Minho [4:45pm]** because no other customer at the cafe has the means to afford one  
 **Minho [4:46pm]** who else would it belong to

 **Jisung [4:50pm]** Good point, aha.  
 **Jisung [4:51pm]** Send me your address. I'll be there by 5:30.

Minho does as he's told and hurries to his closet in an attempt to find something decent to wear. Jisung said to just dress the way he normally would, but there was no way he would be caught dead in some upscale restaurant in a pair of skinnies and T-shirt. He needed to look nice, more for his sake than for Jisung's. He needed Felix, and he needed him fast.

**Minho [4:58pm]** are you still mad at me

 **Felix [4:59pm]** no  
 **Felix [5:00pm]** I was just being dumb because I was tired

 **Minho [5:00pm]** it's fine you're forgiven please help me  
 **Minho [5:01pm]** jisung is gonna be here in less than thirty minutes and i need something nice to wear

 **Felix [5:01pm]** why are you asking me

 **Minho [5:02pm]** BECAUSE YOU'RE A FASHION MAJOR  
 **Minho [5:03pm]** HURRY AND COME TO MY ROOM IT'S AN EMERGENCY

"You couldn't have come out here and asked?" Felix yells from the kitchen.

"I didn't know if you were still mad at me!" Minho yells back. "We're having the 'condition talk' over dinner tonight at some fancy restaurant, and I don't know how to outfit plan!"

Felix shakes his head as he walks into Minho's bedroom. "God fucked you over real bad, giving you looks like that but making you so stupid when it comes to fashion." He pines through Minho's closet to see if there was anything at least somewhat usable, and sighs loudly when he realizes just how basic his best friend's taste in clothing was. "The first thing you need to do is ask this man for a shopping spree because your closet is pathetic. You have six pairs of the same jeans, Minho. Who let you do that?"

"This is why I asked for your help," Minho pleads. "You're only an inch or so shorter than I am and we have similar body types. Let me borrow something, please Felix?"

"Fine," Felix replies, nodding toward the door. "Let's go. You seem pretty dead set on making this work out, so we might as well make you look nice. Don't want him deciding he doesn't want you when he sees how you dress outside of your work uniform."

"Your words offend me but I'm gonna let it slide because you're doing me such a huge favor." Minho gives Felix a small smile as they leave his room in favor of Felix's. "Everything's gonna be fine, I swear. I'll tell you everything when I get home from work tonight."

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just get you dolled up and looking sexy."

Jisung's Bentley was every bit as luxurious as Minho had imagined. His own car, an old 2004 Jeep Wrangler, was worn and dirty, and had a weird smell that nobody had been able to identify in his four years since getting it. Being in a car like Jisung's almost felt wrong in a way, and Minho wasn't ashamed to say so. "This doesn't feel real," he says as he runs his fingers along the car's red leather interior. "It's like I'm in a movie or something. It feels weird."

"It's nice, yeah?" Jisung laughs. "I got it as a birthday present for myself."

"My friends gave me a twinkie with a lit match in the center for my birthday. We couldn't find any candles, and the twinkie ended up catching fire because I couldn't blow the match out in time."

"At least it was memorable, even if you did catch something on fire." Jisung pulls into the first available parking space he sees and takes the keys from the ignition as soon as he puts the car in park. "Did you eat it?"

"No, we panicked and threw it in the toilet. It was on a paper plate and we were afraid of the flames spreading."

"College life sounds interesting."

"Nowhere near as interesting as yours, I'd bet." Minho looks out his window and surveys their surroundings for a moment before turning back to Jisung. "I've driven by this place loads of times but I've never actually eaten here."

"Well, it's my treat," Jisung replies. "You can order whatever you want. Stay there and let me get the door for you."

Minho waits patiently as Jisung steps outside and walks around the car to open his door. He'd never had anyone do that before, and had to admit that it was actually kind of nice. "What a gentleman," he says, grabbing hold of Jisung's arm as he stands up.

Jisung nods as he shuts the door with his free hand. "But of course. We're right on time, to. Our reservations are for 5:50."

The two of them make their way inside, still arm in arm, with Jisung leading the way. The wait staff was friendly and everyone seemed to know Jisung, which made for good service and quick seating. "I take it you come here often?" Minho asks. "Everyone knows you by name."

"My business partner's husband owns this place," Jisung smiles. "So, I guess you could say that."

Minho doesn't say anything and chooses to skim through the menu instead. Not only was Jisung much older than he was, but hearing him say things like "business partner" and the fact that he was friends with a restaurant owner made Minho realize just how out of his element he really was. The most he had accomplished in life was probably just staying alive while trying to juggle work and school. There was no way he had the time or money to do something major with his life like Jisung had.

"Why are you making that face?"

"What face?" Minho fakes a surprised look and silently chastises himself for letting his composure slip. "I'm not making a face."

"Talk to me. What's on your mind?"

Minho sets the menu down and stares at Jisung for a moment before deciding to just come clean. "All of this just feels weird. You're so much older than I am and you've already done so much with your life, and...I don't know. I don't know where I'm going with this. I just feel. Weird. Out of my element. Like I don't belong here or something because I haven't done anything to deserve to be here."

"Isn't that the whole reason you're here, though?" Jisung replies thoughtfully. "You want to be able to do something with your life, but school and work are hindering your progress. Slice work out of the picture and replace it with me, and you'll be well on your way."

"Yeah, I guess, but--"

"Do you want to do this, Minho? Because I'm not going to sit here and force it on you. You're free to walk away at any point tonight."

"If I do?"

"You'll never see or hear from me again."

"...and if I choose to stay?"

"That's kind of the point of us meeting here tonight. To discuss what all of that entails."

"Sorry," Minho says, looking sheepish. "Actually sitting here and getting ready to do this is just taking a toll on my nerves. I want to do this. I'm just nervous is all because I've never been in a situation like this before."

Jisung pauses the conversation for a moment as a waitress drops by to take their order, and returns his gaze to Minho as soon as they're alone again. "What do you want out of this relationship? Tell me honestly. What are your expectations. Your needs. Your wants. Your desires."

"Financial stability. If I need something, I want to know that you'd have it covered. Done and done, you know. I work my ass off all day, everyday, and it feels like I'm getting nowhere. I'm always broke, I'm always stressed, I'm always tired. I'm studying to become a dancer and that's never gonna happen if I end up pushing my body past its' limits before I even graduate."

"I can provide that one hundred percent. School loans? Gone. Rent? Covered. Car problems? Scrap the entire thing and we'll get you a new one. Money is not, and never will be, an issue with me. I can promise you that."

"I still don't fully understand what you're getting out of this whole thing, though," Minho says. He back in his chair a little and crosses his arms over his chest as if to protect himself from whatever Jisung were going to say. He had to want more than just a young piece of eye candy to bring out into the public, and Minho wasn't sure if he was prepared to hear Jisung's real intentions or not. "You said that you wanted to bring me to all of your publicity events and whatnot, but there's gotta be more to it than that, right? You and I both know that this isn't just skin deep."

"Of course it's not just skin deep," Jisung replies, his demeanor still surprisingly calm. Minho thought all of the questions and self doubt would get on his nerves, but it made him feel better to see how understanding he was being. "First and foremost, yes, bringing you to stuff like that is going to be a priority. You're young, you're handsome, and more importantly, you're new and mysterious. People are going to _love_ that."

"But outside of that?" Minho presses. "It's not like you've got parties and awards shows planned everyday of the week. What do you want from me behind closed doors? Assuming that's what this is all leading up to. Am I wrong for that?"

"No, you're not wrong. Far from it, actually. Provided this is something you're comfortable with, I'd like to ask what your opinion is on staying exclusive."

"Staying...exclusive?" There were many kinds of context behind what that could potentially mean, and Minho wondered if Jisung knew just what exactly it was that he was saying. "Do you mean that as in...like, as long as we're doing this, we don't see other people?"

Jisung nods. "I like you, Minho. I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. Seeing you over the last few months, even if only for a short time, has continuously had me craving more. You're handsome, you're hardworking, and there's just something about you that intrigues me. I can't quite put my finger on it yet, but I'm very interested in being able to spend more time with you."

The waitress from earlier shows up with their food, and tops off their glasses before leaving them in favor of another table. "Suddenly I'm not so hungry anymore," Minho mumbles, his stomach already filled with butterflies. "I knew you kept coming back for a reason."

"Of course I did," Jisung says as he reaches across the table for a napkin. "Everything I do is with a purpose."

"What exactly would this...relationship, I guess, consist of?" Minho was genuinely curious because even though he was way older, Jisung was totally hot and his personality made him super easy to be around. He wasn't normally the type to jump into dating someone out of the blue, but considering the basis of their newfound relationship, rules were something that mattered little now. "I'm not saying no but I'm not saying yes. Not yet, at least. I just...want to know what it is you'd expect of me is all."

"Only if you promise to be honest with me. If you have any problems or any sort of qualm, I need you to tell me, okay? We need to make sure we're on the same page before we allow things to go on any further." Minho nods, but doesn't say anything as he waits for Jisung to continue. "Have you ever done this before?"

"No."

"Good. I mean--well, nevermind. Forget I said that." Jisung was getting flustered and it was starting to get on his nerves. He wasn't trying to hold back, per se, so much as he was trying to keep Minho comfortable. "Dating is something that has always been particularly difficult for me. I'm a workaholic and don't always have the time to be making all sorts of promises and whatnot that would typically come with being in a romantic relationship. However, with that being said, that doesn't mean the aspect of sharing my life with someone isn't appealing. I figure since we're already building this relationship on a basis other than romance, I cou--"

"You could let your intentions be known at the very beginning to avoid conflict you've had in the past," Minho finishes. "If you tell me what you want and what you're willing to do, we're less likely to have a falling out further down the line."

"Exactly. You need to understand that my job comes first. I'm more than willing to supply anything and everything you could ever possibly need, whether it be money, food, a new car, paying off a credit card. Whatever it is, big or small, I want you to come to me."

"But what if--"

"No buts. Whatever you need, it's yours."

"Okay," Minho says. "But what about...you know, the _other stuff_."

"As I said, my job comes first, which is something I'm sure you'd understand considering how important finishing school is to you. I would never ask you to miss class or to put yourself in jeopardy because of me. I want graduating to be your top priority. Outside of that, though, I only ask that you accompany me to publicity events as they come, as well as just keeping me company outside of school and work. Physicality is not essential, but if you wa--"

"I wouldn't say no if you wanted to fool around," Minho interrupts. "You're way more handsome than you give yourself credit for."

"Coming from you, that's quite the compliment," Jisung laughs. "Perfect. Is this something you'd want to pursue? I can't promise that I can give you all of the attention or physical affection you might want, but just know that any free time I have will be dedicated to you on the basis that you do the same for me. I don't expect you to be spending time with me on the daily or anything, but being available when I ask would definitely be a plus."

"If I say yes, I suppose that makes us official?"

"I suppose it would, yes."

"Mm." Minho takes a moment to process everything, and nods in agreement to Jisung's words. No more debt, no more struggling, no more sleepless nights--all in favor of being semi-involved with a handsome older man? It seemed almost too good to be true, but after hearing what Jisung had to say about it, Minho decides that it would be stupid to say no. Jisung was willing to hand him everything he could ever want on a _gold fucking platter_. There was no bad side to this. "I guess this makes us official then."

"Yeah, I guess it does. Can I give you a ride to work tonight?"

"That depends. Does that mean I get to see you again when my shift ends?"

"Of course it does. You don't think I would leave you stranded like that, do you?"

"I would certainly hope not, especially now that we're a _thing_."

"Don't make me regret my decision," Jisung warns. "For someone that was so nervous a minute ago, you seem rather ballsy."

"What're you gonna do?" Minho smirks. "Punish me?"

Jisung rolls his eyes and gives Minho a soft, yet slightly possessive smile. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, Minho. Absolutely no idea."


End file.
